Hi 🙂
It’s winter here, and temperature is going up and down rapidly, sometimes its -2, sometimes its 12 c. Struggling with that temperature, I spend my whole day only in my dorm, or going out just to campus or doing my research in Saitama.
But, hey, last saturday was different.
I went around Tokyo just by myself, well I am not that kinda person who could enjoy traveling just by me, myself and I (at least, I thought), cause:
- I love talking 🙂 and traveling alone means that I have to keep silent along the way
- I love taking a picture and I need someone to take a picture of me 🙂 🙂
In contrast, my boyfriend is a type of person who can enjoy solo traveling, so yesterday I tried to duplicate him 🙂 surprisingly, I can enjoy it perfectly.
12.30
My journey started around 12.30 because I woke up late, my goals is “I want to try Tokyo Sakura Tram” which I know from the advertisement in a Sengoku Station 🙂 then I took Mita Line train to Ueno Okachimachi then bought a 1 day unlimited Toei ticket (900 yen), then continued to Minowabashi Station. I stopped in the first instagrammable spot 🙂
I strolled around Minowabashi Shopping Center, it looks like one of the shopping center in Osaka but unfortunately I forgot the name. The vegetables and meat there was quite cheap compared to the price in the center of Tokyo, I was thinking about groceries shopping but I don’t want to bring heavy stuffs along the journey, so I skip it 🙂
Then! of course the minowabashi station itself, I was amazed by its classic design and I came in the good time when the tram was coming 🙂
I took the tram, and one drama happened 🙂 btw, the tram is quite different with normal subway or train, also the way we can use our ticket, I thought I can use my unlimited ticket, but the train staff said.
“入らないでください！それは出来ないです”
means I can not use the value ticket, at the same time I already input my ticket and it just gone inside the ticket machine 🙂 but, it’s Japan, so don’t worry, they gave me 1000 yen and said sorry because of the inconvenient caused, well actually it’s my fault :’ aside from the drama, I enjoyed the tram-trip. In my opinion, tram is kinda combination of japan bus and japan train.
- It has a small passenger capacity like a bus
- It goes around the city, in the middle of the main road like a bus
- You have to press the button if you want to stop in the next station
- It’s a train, actually as it goes through the railway.
Satisfied with a new experience, I stop in a station and planned to go to a small theme park which has the slowest coaster in Japan, Arakawa Yuen. Unfortunately, its temporarily closed, but I got the best scenery of Sumida River which I’ve never seen before.
15.00
At 15.00 I felt hungry and stopped in a burger restaurant to eat cheeseburger which only cost 250 Yen + free flow mineral water. Next stop is.. TOKYO STATION! It’s been 10 months in Japan, but I never see the red-brick building of Tokyo Station. Several times I touch down there just for transit, but I want a tourist-time now! So here I am..
I can’t describe my feeling when I finally saw Tokyo Station by own eyes haha 😀 then I strolled around Tokyo Station, and just found another side of Tokyo here. It feels like in Europe, very different with another side of Tokyo. I instantly fell in love with this place, and promise to go here again next time.
17.00
Super happy with the scenery, I was thinking to go back to the dorm but it’s just too early 😛 although it’s very easy from here to my dorm with Mita Line because I don’t need to transit.
After the futuristic scenery of Tokyo around Tokyo Station, I went to Asakusa to fulfill my eyes with traditional scenery.
It’s my third time going to Asakusa, but before it’s always when the sunshine bright, now along the way I worried if the scenery won’t be good anymore since it’s almost night (it’s winter so the day seems faster), but what I got was the best experience ever!
Feels like I took these pictures early in the morning, but actually, it was not 🙂 Then, Asakusa was the end of my first solo-trip.
By the way, I learned a lot with this solo-trip experience:
- By solo trip, you can really enjoy the place, because you don’t need to worry about your partner’s condition (if they like the place or not, what kind of food they want to eat, which spot they want to enjoy, if they are tired with your pace of trip or maybe feels that we are very slow person)
- You can understand yourself more, because you have to decide anything by yourself
- You will learn to be more mature, because you might face uncomfortable situation and have to solve it by yourself
- You can just go anytime and anywhere 🙂
Honestly, I ever thought that traveling would just waste of my time in Japan because it would be better to spend my time in front of the computer doing my research, or going to the lab and do experiment 🙂 but hey younger me, you should have a nice quality time only with yourself, to recharge your mind. I ever thought that shopping can heal your stress, well it was, but then? you just get the stuffs, and it’s just there in the corner of your room, and for me who just temporarily living here, it’s not good idea. I ever read a quote
Traveling is the only thing you can buy, that make you rich.
It is.
Will do it again next time! Next destination? I guess it will be Yokohama.
A BIT THOUGHTS 